The present invention relates to a container for storing and dispensing food items and beverages, and more particularly, to a container that has a vessel and a removable lid member with a lid aperture therethrough for accessing an interior of the vessel, with the lid member being rotatable between a tongue and groove lid secured configuration and a tongue and groove lid releasing configuration relative to the vessel.
In the past, when faced with the prospect of storing and/or dispensing a number of different types of food items at the same time, a person would generally use a like number of different containers and/or snack bowls, one each for each different type of food item. This practice frequently resulted in an excessive use of containers and required a significant amount of space to effectively store same, a consideration that may be particularly acute when travelling or in other situations or locations where limited storage space is available. Likewise, this use of multiple containers required a significant amount of counter or table space to allow for the concurrent dispensing of food items contained therein and was relatively inefficient in this respect, especially insofar as a consumer using multiple containers and/or snack bowls was effectively required to juggle same when switching between different types of food items.
Containers having compartmented vessels with selectively rotatable dispensing lid members have been developed to overcome these problems and to better store and dispense one or more different types of food items, beverages, or the like, such as can be seen, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,667,818 (Page) for a Canister and Like Box or Container, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,903,127 (Dorman) for a Dispensing and Storage Container, and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,627 (Storey) for an Apparatus, Adaptable to Sales Containers, For Volumetric Dispensing of Powdered Materials. The different containers disclosed by each of these three patents are all subject to a common problem, however, in that their respective lid members are either screw or snap fit onto their respective vessels. As such, the rotation of these lid members to selectively dispense the food items contained therein, and/or the removal of same to effectively allow their respective containers to be filled or re-filled with food items, requires the expenditure of significant effort and energy, such that weak or frail persons, including, without limitation, the very young, the very old, those with poor gripping ability, and sufferers of arthritis and other debilitating conditions, may not be equal to the task. In part because of the resulting difficulty that may be so associated with their opening and disassembly, these containers are neither adapted to be easily loaded, unloaded, nor to removal or interchanging of their respective partition members.
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a container assembly, for storing and dispensing food items and beverages, that has a removable lid member that is easily rotatable between a lid secured configuration and a lid releasing configuration.
Another object of one aspect of the invention is to provide a container assembly, for storing and dispensing food items and beverages, that has a rotatable lid member with a lid aperture therethrough for easily accessing an interior thereof.
A further object of one aspect of the invention is to provide a container assembly, for storing and dispensing food items and beverages, that is sealable so as to provide for the effective, secure and safe storage of food items and beverages.
An additional object of one aspect of the invention is to provide a container assembly, for storing and dispensing food items and beverages, that is subdivided into a plurality of substantially separate compartments so as to allow for substantially separate storage of a plurality of types of food items therewithin.
A still additional object of one aspect of the invention is to provide a container assembly, for storing and dispensing food items and beverages, that requires relatively little storage space.
A still further object of one aspect of the invention is to provide a container assembly, for storing and dispensing food items and beverages, that allows for efficient and selective dispensing of individual types of food item selected from the plurality of such types that may be stored therewithin.
A yet still further object of one aspect of the invention is to provide a container assembly, for storing and dispensing food items and beverages, that is simple and easy to use.
Another object of one aspect of the invention is to provide a container assembly, for storing and dispensing food items and beverages, that is easy to disassemble.
Yet another object of one aspect of the invention is to provide a container assembly, for storing and dispensing food items and beverages, that has a durable and reliable construction and is freezer, microwave, and dishwasher safe.
Still yet another object of one aspect of the invention is to provide a container assembly, for storing and dispensing food items and beverages, that reduces the risk of spillage or accidental loss of any food items or beverages that may be stored therewithin.
Another object of one aspect of the invention is to provide a container assembly, for storing and dispensing food items and beverages, that is inexpensive and easy to manufacture.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is disclosed a container assembly for storing and dispensing food items and beverages. The assembly comprises a vessel and a selectively removable lid member. The vessel defines a longitudinal axis, a bottom wall, and a continuous side wall that extends upwardly from the bottom wall toward a substantially annular rim portion. The rim portion defines a top opening to an interior of the vessel, and is shaped and dimensioned so as to define a first tongue and groove member. The selectively removable lid member has a perimeter lid portion surrounding a substantially circular central lid portion. The perimeter lid portion engages the rim portion of the vessel in substantially juxtaposed relation. The central lid portion is in substantially overlying relation with the top opening of the vessel. The central lid portion defines a lid aperture therethrough for accessing the interior of the vessel. According to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the perimeter lid portion of the lid member is shaped and dimensioned so as to define a complementary mating second tongue and groove member that is rotatable with the lid member about the longitudinal axis and relative to the first tongue and groove member of the vessel between a lid secured configuration and a lid releasing configuration. The lid secured configuration is such that the tongue and groove members fully engage one another so as to prevent longitudinal movement of the lid member relative to the vessel. The lid releasing configuration is such that the tongue and groove members are configured with respect to one another so as to permit longitudinal movement of the lid member relative to the vessel. The lid member is removable from the vessel in the lid releasing configuration.
According to a further aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the assembly further comprises a selectively removable blocking member having a perimeter blocking portion surrounding a central blocking portion. The perimeter blocking portion is substantially interposed in juxtaposed relation between the rim portion and the perimeter lid portion of the lid member. The central blocking portion is in substantially overlying relation with the top opening of the vessel, and is substantially interposed in at least partially obstructing relation between the lid aperture and the interior of the vessel. The blocking member is removable when the lid member is removed from the container assembly.
According to another aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the assembly further comprises a selectively removable first partition member that engages an inner wall surface of the interior of the vessel so as to define at least two substantially separate longitudinal compartments within the interior. The first partition member is substantially interposed between the bottom wall and the central lid portion of the lid member. The lid aperture of the central lid portion is selectively and rotatably positionable, with rotation of the lid member in the lid secured configuration, to be in substantially overlying relation with respect to each of the compartments. The first partition member is removable through the top opening when the lid member and the blocking member are each respectively removed from the vessel.
According to a still further aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the assembly further comprises a selectively removable second partition member that removably engages the first partition member and the inner wall surface of the vessel so as to together define at least three substantially separate longitudinal compartments within the interior. The second partition member is also substantially interposed between the bottom wall and the central lid portion of the lid member, and is removable through the top opening when the lid member and the blocking member are each respectively removed from the vessel.
According to an additional aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the first tongue and groove member of the vessel defines an arcuate track groove and a first release groove. The arcuate track groove at least partially circumscribes the rim portion of the vessel in substantially transverse relation to the longitudinal axis. The first release groove extends substantially upwardly from the arcuate track groove to a rim top portion of the rim portion that is substantially adjacent to the top opening of the vessel. According to this additional aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the complementary mating second tongue and groove member of the lid member comprises a first tongue member extending from the perimeter lid portion. The first tongue member is shaped and dimensioned to fully engage the arcuate track groove in the lid secured configuration. The first tongue member is further shaped and dimensioned so as to be aligned with, and removably passable through, the first release groove of the vessel in the lid releasing configuration.
According to a still yet further aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the arcuate track groove and the first release groove are each respectively shaped in the rim portion in an outer wall surface of the vessel. According to this still yet further aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the perimeter lid portion further comprises a downwardly directed skirt portion having an inner skirt surface. The first tongue member extends from the inner skirt surface in a first substantially inward direction.
According to a yet still further aspect of the invention, the inner wall surface of the interior of the vessel has a first elongate channel formed therein. The first elongate channel is adapted to receive a first lateral edge portion of the first partition member in removably secured sliding relation.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, the inner wall surface of the interior of the vessel has a second elongate channel formed therein. The second elongate channel is adapted to receive a second lateral edge portion of the first partition member in removably secured sliding relation.
According to a still further aspect of the invention, the first elongate channel and the second elongate channel of the inner wall of the vessel are each respectively substantially parallel to the, longitudinal axis.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the first elongate channel is in substantially diametrically opposed relation with the second elongate channel relative to the longitudinal axis.
According to a further aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the first partition member and the second partition member are each respectively substantially planar in cross-section and substantially rectangular in shape. The first partition member and the second partition member each have a respective upper edge portion and a respective lower edge portion.
According to another aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the first partition member and the second partition member are respectively further shaped so as to define a first longitudinal aperture and a second longitudinal aperture respectively therethrough. The first longitudinal aperture extends from the upper edge portion of the first partition member part way toward its respective lower edge portion. The second longitudinal aperture extends from the lower edge portion of the second partition member part way toward its respective upper edge portion. The first longitudinal aperture is adapted to removably engage the second partition member as aforesaid, whilst the second longitudinal aperture is adapted to removably engage the first partition member. The at least three substantially separate compartments comprise four substantially separate compartments. The second partition member is removable from the first partition member through the top opening when the lid member and the blocking member are each respectively removed from the vessel.
According to an additional aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the perimeter blocking portion of the blocking member is shaped so as to define a first perimeter aperture therethrough. The first perimeter aperture is aligned with, and permits passage of, the first tongue member of the lid member, when it is further aligned with the first release groove of the vessel, in the lid releasing configuration.
According to a still yet further aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the arcuate track groove of the vessel completely circumscribes the outer wall surface of the vessel. The second tongue and groove member together with the lid member is fully rotatable relative to the arcuate track groove of the first tongue and groove member and the vessel.
According to a yet still further aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the first tongue and groove member further defines a second release groove shaped in the rim portion in the outer wall surface of the vessel. The second release groove extends substantially upwardly from the arcuate track groove to the rim top portion of the vessel. According to this yet still further aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the second tongue and groove member further comprises a second tongue member that extends from the inner skirt surface in a second substantially inward direction. The second tongue member is shaped and dimensioned to fully engage the arcuate track groove in the lid secured configuration. The perimeter blocking portion of the blocking member is shaped so as to define a second perimeter aperture therethrough. The second tongue member is aligned with, and is removably passable through, the second release groove of the vessel and the second perimeter aperture of the blocking member in the lid releasing configuration.
According to yet another aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the blocking member is in sealed and fully obstructed relation with respect to the interior of the vessel in the lid secured configuration.
According to another aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, each one of the compartments is of a substantially equal size to each respective other one. According to this aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the lid aperture of the central lid portion is sized and shaped so as to be rotatably positionable, with rotation of the lid member, in substantially overlying relation with a selected single one of the compartments.
According to another aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, each one of the compartments is of a substantially equal size to each respective other one. According to this aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the lid aperture of the central lid portion is sized and shaped so as to be rotatably positionable, with rotation of the lid member, in substantially overlying relation with a selected adjacent two of the compartments.
According to a still further aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the continuous side wall of the vessel is substantially cylindrical in shape. Also according to this still further aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the bottom wall and the blocking member are each respectively substantially planar in cross-section and circular in shape and substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis. Also according to this still further aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the central lid portion is substantially planar in cross-section and substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis. Also according to this still further aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the lid member is substantially circular in shape. Also according to this still further aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the skirt portion completely circumscribes the perimeter lid portion of the lid member.
According to an additional aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the first release groove and the second release groove are each respectively elongate in shape and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.
According to a still yet further aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the vessel further comprises a handle member extending outwardly from the vessel.
According to another aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, with respect to the longitudinal axis, the first tongue member, the first release groove, and the first perimeter aperture of the blocking member are respectively in substantially diametrically opposed relation with the second tongue member, the second release groove, and the second perimeter aperture of the blocking member. As such, in the lid releasing configuration, each of the first tongue member and the second tongue member is removably passable through either of the first release groove and the first perimeter aperture or the second release groove and the second perimeter aperture of the blocking member.